Devices for turning music pages



20, 1962 P. M. CHERNISHENKO 3,064,518

DEVICES FOR TURNING MUSIC PAGES Filed March 9, 1961 I NVENTO R PETER M- CHERNISHENKO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,064,518 DEVICES FOR TURNING MUSIC PAGES Peter M. Chernishenko, P.0. Box 145, Virgil, Ontario, Canada Filed Mar. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 94,609 4 Claims. (Cl. 84-487) My invention relates to improvements in devices for turning music pages, of the type adapted to support a book of music on a music rack, or on a piano or the like, and to turn each page of the book successively from right to left when actuated by the performer, or to turn the pages from left to right as required.

An object of the invention is to produce such a device which has a minimum of parts, which are easily assembled, so that the device may be manufactured economically.

Another object is to provide such a device which is compact and light in weight, so that it may be carried in a conventional music case, and may be set up on a conventional music stand such as is used by members of orchestras.

A further object is to produce such a device which may be powered by a small battery-operated electric motor, which may be controlled by a switch actuated by the performers foot, permitting the performer to turn pages of his score without taking his hands from his instrument.

A still further object is to provide such a device in which a musical work, orchestra score, or other multipaged book of music may be mounted, for turning of the pages, without mutilating the book either accidentally or of necessity, as has been the case with some previously known devices for turning music pages.

With the above, and other objects which will hereinafter appear as the specification proceeds in view, my invention consists of the construction and arrangement all as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of my device, attached to a conventional music stand (shown only in part, in broken lines) and with a book of music in place on the device;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view, similar to FIG. 1, showing my device with a cover plate removed toshow the arrangement of working parts; and

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view, partially in section along the line 33 of FIG. 1, including a schematic representation of an electric motor and switching mechanism for actuating the device.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the different views.

As illustrated, my invention may consist of a base 1, having a raceway 2' in which a plurality of discs 3, constituting a train, are slideable. Each disc 3 carries a pin 4 adapted to engage a music page for turning it. The raceway 2 opens out, intermediate its ends, into a substantially circular recess bounded by arcuate walls 5 and 6 respectively, the former being of shorter radius than the latter, and a shaft 7 is journalled in the base 1 on the center line of the raceway 2, coincident with the center of the arc defined by wall 3. On the shaft '7' is secured a disc 8, disposed in the recess bounded by the walls 5 and 6, and having a pair of oppositely disposed semicircular cut-out portions 9, 9; the radius of each such cnt-out portion is substantially the same as the radius of each disc 3. The radius of the arcuate portion 6 of the raceway 2 is such that, when a disc 3 is nested in one of the cut-out portions 9 of the disc 8 and the disc 8 is rotated, by rotating the shaft 7. the disc 3 is carried from one straight length of the racway 2, around the arcuate portion 6 of the raceway, and into the other straight length of the raceway.

The discs 3 are confined in the raceway 2, and in contact with each other or the disc 8, by a pair of end elements 10, 10, which are of elongated D-shape, whereby they are slideable along the straight lengths of the raceway 2, but can not enter the curved length 6 thereof, and by a cover plate 11 overlying and co-extensive with the base 1, secured to the latter by, for example, screws 12, and provided with a slot 13 to pass the pins 4: slot 13 is straight except for a semi-circular length 14, the center of which coincides with the axis of shaft 7.

The end elements 10, 10 are connected together by a slightly extensible linkage, which may consist of a rigid wire member 15, movable longitudinally in a groove 46 located in the floor of the raceway 2, and provided with a hook 16 at each end: each end element 16] has a slot 17 passing therethrough, in which is disposed a coil spring 18: each hook 16 is inserted into a spring 18, and compresses it against the opposite end of its slot 17. It will be noted that the springs 18 are confined in the slots 17 by the wire 15 on the lower surface of the elements 10 and by the cover plate 11 on the upper surface.

A bracket 19, of L-section, having a slot 20 in the upstanding leg, is secured to the base 1, as by a pair of the screws 12, and spaced from the cover plate 11 by a pair of spacers 21, 21 through which the screws pass.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, my device may be attached to a conventional music stand, of which only the telescoping shaft 22, spine 23, folding shelf 24 and folding Wings 25, 25 are shown. The shelf 24 0f the music stand should have notches or cut-out portions 26, 26 or their equivalent: most music stand shelves have such a detail, but when it is desired to use my device with a stand which is not so adapted, the shelf must be cut out for the purpose. The device is attached to the music stand by inserting the shelf 24 thereof between the base of the bracket 19 and the surface of the cover plate 11, in the space provided by the spacers 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, in a preferred embodiment of my invention the free end of the shaft 7 may be journalled in a bracket 27, secured to the under side of the base 2, and may be rotated by a worm gear 28 secured thereto and meshing with a worm 29 on the shaft 30 of a miniature direct current electric motor 31. The motor 31 may be energized by a battery 32, under the control of a reversing switch 33 having an off position, shown in full lines in the drawing, and forward and reverse positions shown in broken lines To use my device, as best illustrated in FIG. 1, a music book, having a front cover 34, pages 35, 35 and a back cover 36 is mounted on the device by inserting the front and rear covers 34 and 36, respectively, between the bracket 19 and the spine 23 and wings 25 of the music stand, with the pages 35 protruding outwardly through the slot 29 of the member 19, and one pin 4 behind each page 35. When the performer requirese to turn the first page, he actuates switch 33 into the forward position to cause the motor 31 to rotate the shaft 7 in a clockwise direction, which transfers the disc 3 carrying the pin 4, which is behind the first page, from the straight length of the raceway 2 on the right hand side of the device, around the curved length 6, into the straight length of the raceway on the left hand side, and the pin 4 carries its page from right to left. As soon as this movement is completed the switch 32 is released, whereupon it assumes the off position, with the motor at rest. This operation may be repeated for successive page turnings as many times as there are pins 4 available. if it should be desired to turn one or more of the pages in the opposite direction, as to repeat a section of the music, by actuating the switch 32 into the reverse position the page engaging pins 4 3 from the left hand side of the raceway 2 may be successively moved around the curved length 6 of the raceway to turn the pages from left to right.

It will be noted that when the last disc 3 of the train, ie the disc adjacent to'an end. element m, has been car ried from one straight length of the raceway 2 to the other, subsequent rotation of the disc 8 (such as, for example, by inadvertent actuation of the switch 32 after all the pages have been turned in one direction) merely causes the cut-out portion 9 of the disc 8 to cam the end element 10 away from itself, along the straight length 2 of the raceway, because the length of the element 10 prevents the disc 8 feeding it into the curved portion 6 of the raceway, and the springs 18' compress and permit the end elements to separate far enough to permit rotation of the disc 8 without jamming or injuring the mecha msm.

From the foregoing description it should be obvious that I have produceda device for turning music pages which is of simple and compact construction, which will turn pages from right to left, as is customary, but will also turn them from left'to right, which does not require mutilation of the pages, and which will not be likely to accidentally mutiliate pages.

While I have described and illustrated a particular embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended to impose no limitations on the scope of my invention beyond those set forth in the appended claims. For example, while I have shown my device with six pins, which will handle a book of up to six sheets (12 pages) of music, additional pins may be provided in a commercial model to handle many more sheets.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device for turning music pages comprising a base having a raceway therein including a straight length interrupted by a curved length, a train of discs disposed in and slideable along the raceway, a disc journalled in the raceway concentrically with the curved length thereof and having a pair of diametrically opposed cut-out parts,

means for rotating said last mentioned disc to carry a disc of the train engaged by one of said cut-out parts from one straight length of the raceway around said curved length and into the other straight length thereof, optionally in either direction, means for maintaining the train of discs and said disc substantially in contact along said raceway, means for supporting an open book of music generally parallel to said raceway, and a page engaging projection on each disc of said train.

2. A device for turning music pages as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining said train of discs and said disc substantially in contact comprises an end element disposed in each straight length of said raceway, slideable therein but incapable of entering said curved length thereof, and a link connecting said end elements.

3. A device for turning music pages as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining said train of discs and said disc substantially in contact comprises an elongated D-shaped element disposed in each straight length of said raceway and slideable therealong with the arc of the D facing the end disc of the train, and an extensible link connection between the D-shaped elements.

4. A device for turning music pages as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for rotating said disc comprises an electric motor including a shaft, a power supply therefor, switch means for connecting the power supply to the motor to cause its shaft to rotate, optionally, in either direction, and an operative connection between said disc and said motor shaft.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 264,716 Liddell Sept. 19, 1882 425,810 Leevey Apr. 15, 1890 583,679 Fletcher June 1, 1897 932,088 Arminio Aug. 24, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,668 Great Britain Oct. '7, 1914 232,855 Great Britain Apr. 30, 1925 2,473 Australia June 9, 1932 

